Signal lamp



Nov. 27 1923.

c' GODLEY Y Filed ne 24,

INV OR A M EFE ATT EY Patented Nov. 27, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- CHARLES E. GODLEY, OF DETROIT, MTCHIGAN, ASSIGNOR .TO EDMUNDS & JONES COR- PORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

siGNAr. LAMP.

Application filed. a... 24," 1922. Serial No. 570,670.

To all whom it mwyooncemr Be it known that I, Cnanms E. GODLEY, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and 6 State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Signal Lamp, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the construction of a lam for the rear-ends of motor ve- 10 hicles an its object is to provide a simple and efiective combined tail-lamp and rear signal lamp which can be made at low cost, and which may be used to illuminate the roadway, rearwardly and laterally, of the 15 vehicle. V

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a front elevation of this improved signal lamp. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 20 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan of an insert which constitutes the separate compartment for the-signal lamp Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of ig. 1. Fi 6 is a bottom plan of a connector lug. ig. 7 .is 25 a section on the line 77 Fig. 3.

' Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The body of this lamp has a back 1, sides 2, and 3 which merge into the semi-cylindrical top 4 and bottom 5. The front edge of the body is bent out to form the flange 6 which ends in an end 7 parallel to the sides, top and bottom of the body. The lamp may be attached to an desired bracket or support by means of b0 ts 8 mounted in the back 1. An openlng .9 may be cut in the bottom to permit light to fall on a license plate, this opening bein by a small sheet 10 of celluloid Wl'llCh is held in position by the ears 11. V

A cylindrical insert consisting of the shell 14, back and front flange 16 may be mounted in the upper part of the body, the body and the insert having inter-engaging ribs 17 and 18 respectively. The flange 16 may be formed with a groove to receive the packing cord 19 a inst which the lens 20 is pressed by the oor, the cord preventing entrance of dust and also preventing the lens from rattling.

Mounted on the lower portion of the shell 14 is a connector tube 22 formed with bayonet slots 23 to receive the pins 24 on the covered bases 25 of the light bulbs 26 and 27. The

two bases have central projections 28 adapted to be engaged by the spring contacts 29 carried by an insulatin plug 30. These contacts have transverse y corrugated ends 31, or are otherwise deformed to receive these projections 28 and are thereby held in position. A short thimble 33 is attached to the side of the body at' an opening therein to receive this plu and the thimble is preferably formed wit a rib 34 adapted to enter the groove 35 in this plug to insure the plug being inserted properly. The con nector tube 22 is referably lined with a shell 36 of insulating material to prevent the contacts 29 from touching the sleeve. The bases of the lamp bulbs are grounded on this sleeve. i

Wires 38 and 39 extend into the lug and are secured in eyes in the ends of the contacts 29 by means of screws 40. The well known cap 41 may be attached to this plug to protect the wires. 'It willbe noticed that these wires are at right angles to the thimble 33 so that a pull on the wires is not liable to diserhgage the plu and the contacts.

The ange 6 on t e body below the insert is also grooved to recelve the packing cord 43 against which the lens 44 is held by the cover. The upper lens 20 is preferablycircular while the upper part of the lower lens is cutaway to fit the upper lens. The lower lens is preferably convex outward as shown in Fig. 2. The cover or door is formed with a flange 45 to fit around the edge 7 of the body and with an inwardly curved edge 46 to engage the two lenses. It also comprises a preferably semi-cylindrical cross piece 47 which extends over the adjacent ed es of the two lenses. I

y desired means may be employed to. secure the cover in position. I prefer to bulge out the sides 2 and 3 and secure nuts 48 n the spaces thus formed by soldering or welding, which nuts are adapted to receive the screws 49 which extend through the cover. y

Referring now to the insert it will be noticed that its shell 14 is formed with two 7 inclined to the axis of the shell 14 that the reflector 53 will project the light downward and laterally of the line. of the vehicle. It is usually desirable to illuminate the roadway at the left of the vehicle when that is being backed and for this reason I prefer to have the reflector mounted in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 4;.

The switch mechanism for these lamp bulbs may be of any well known construction and none is therefore shown. Any well known switch may be connected into the circuit to the lower light bulb. I prefer to connect two self opening switches in arallel into the circuit to the upper bulb. ne of these switches will be connected so that it is closed when the control lever is shifted into reverse position so that the upper light will illuminate the roadway as a backing light when the vehicle is run rearwardly. The other switch may be so connected as to be closed whenever either the clutch lever or brake lever is pushed in, as is now the case with most stop lamps. Drivers differ as to which is preferable.

I claim 1. In a signal lamp, the combination of a case, a cover therefor comprising. two lenses and a frame to secure them to the case, a cylindrical shell mounted in the case, a connector tube mounted in said shell and having an aperture outside the shell, a light bulb mounted in each end of the connector tube opposite said lenses and having a central contact at the inner end of its base, an in sulating plug mounted in one wall of the case, a pair of contacts extending therefrom into the connector tube to engage the contacts on the light bulbs, and conductors connecting to the contacts mounted in said plug.

2. In a signal lamp, the combination of a case having parallel sides and cylindrical ends, a cover therefor-com rising two lenses and a frame to secure the enses to the case, a cylindrical shell mounted in the case, a connector tube mounted in said. shell and having an aperture outside of the. shell, a light bulb mounted in each end of the connector tube and having a contact on the inner end of its base, an insulating plug mounted on one of the sides of the case, a pair of resilient Contact fingers mounted on said plug and extending between the contacts-on the bases of the light bulbs andengaging thesame, and a pair of conductor wires connecting to said resilient contacts.

3. In a signal lamp, the combination of a case, a pair of lenses in substantially the same plane and a support therefor attached to the case, a connectbr sleeve mountedin the case substantially parallel to the lenses and. having an opening betweenits ends, a hghtbulbin each end of the sleeve opposite the lensesand having contacts at their inner ends, a tubular membermounted in mmeee said case at right angles to said connector tube, resilient fingers mounted in said tubular member and extending into the opening in the connector sleeve, and *means detachably mounted in said tubular member adapted to receive circuit wires and cause I tacts to conduct current to said contacts.

5. In a signal lamp, the combination of a case having parallel sides and cylindrical ends, a cover therefor comprising two lenses and a frame to secure the lenses to the case, a cylindrical shell mounted in the case, a reflector in the rear end of the shell, said shell being formed with inwardly project ing ribs to secure the, reflector in position,

a connector tube mounted in said shell and j having an aperture outside of the shell, a light bulb mounted in each end of the connector tube and having a contact on the inner end of its base, an insulating plug.

mounted on one of the sides of the case, a

pair of resilient contact fingers mounted on said plug and extending between the contacts on the bases of the light bulbs and engaging the same, and a pair of conductor wires connecting to said resilient contacts.

6. In a signal lamp, the combination of a case having parallel sides and cylindrical ends, a cover therefor comprising two lenses and a frame to secure the lenses to the case, a cylindrical shell mounted in the' case, a reflector mounted in the rear end of the shell and having its axis extending downwardly and laterally of the axis of the shell, :1. connector tube mounted in said shell and having an aperture outside of the shell, alight bulb mounted in each end of the connector tube and having a contact on the inner end of its base, and insulating .plug mounted on one of the sides of thecase, a pair of re-. silientcontact fingers mounted on said plug and extending between the contacts on the bases of the light bulbs and engaging'the same, and a pair of conductor wires connecting to said resilient contacts.

7. In a signal lamp, the combination of a case having parallel sides and cylindrical ends, a cover therefor comprisingtwo lenses and a. frame to secure the lenses to the case,

'a cylindrical shell mounted in the case, a

connector tube mounted in said shell and having an aperture outside of the shell, a

'llllv light bulb meunted in each end of the cennector tube and having econtact on the inner end of its base, an insulating plug mounted in one of the sides of the case, a pair of resilient contact fingers mounted in said plug and extending between the 0011-.

tactshn the bases of the light bulbs and engeging the same, end pair of conductor Wires cennecting to said resilient contacts, the inner ends of the resilient contacts being 11@ deformed to receive the contacts on the light bulbs whereby the insulated plug may be retained in positien.

CHARLES E. GODLEY. 

